Scope and Content Note
Photographs cover national and some international news stories featuring prominent people and events from 1960 to the early 1990s, including prominent people from a variety of occupations: academics, actors, architects, artists, authors, business leaders, cartoonists, civic leaders, composers, designers, government officials (including United Nations representatives), journalists, lawyers, musicians, news anchors, poets, playwrights, politicians; presidents and their families; religious leaders, scientists; film, television, opera and theater directors and producers; and prominent persons in the labor rights, civil rights and women's rights movements. Subjects include art, art exhibits, civic, cultural and social activities; entertainment, health, music, political campaigns, presidential elections, popular culture, and television programs. Gotfryd captures his subjects in formal portraits, at events, or in activities associated with their careers. Coverage of news stories is broad with a focus on cultural and social events in the United States, particularly in New York City. Examples of prominent subjects include Vietnam War demonstrations, drug addiction, labor strikes, politics, theater and fashion among many others. Views of New York City street scenes, people, nightlife, buildings and bridges are also heavily represented. In addition to these subjects, many of the color slides also show United Nations meetings, views of Israel and the West Bank, and the Pope travelling to the U.S. and Poland.
Contextual information for the majority of photographic prints is limited to Gotfryd's folder titles or brief text on or with the photographs. This information, when available, has been captured in finding aid descriptions.